26.2 · The Neck

Every note, everywhere

On a piano every pitch has exactly one key. On a guitar the same pitch lives on several strings: each fret raises a string one semitone, so the strings overlap. Two tricks make the overlap useful.

One fret, one semitone

A string is a chromatic scale laid flat. Walk the low E string: E, F, F♯, G, one semitone per fret.

EBGDAE357912EFF♯G

The fifth-fret trick

Fret 5 of any string sounds the next string open. The one exception is the G string, where the smaller gap makes it fret 4. Guitarists tune by these pairs.

EBGDAE357912EBEGBDGADA
A2 A2 opensame pitch, two strings
D3 D3 opensame pitch, two strings
G3 G3 opensame pitch, two strings
B3 B3 openfret 4, not 5: the odd gap
E4 E4 opensame pitch, two strings

The octave shape

Two strings over, two frets up: the same letter one octave higher. A at fret 5 finds A at fret 7; it works anywhere below the odd gap.

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Quiz

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What does moving up one fret do to a string's pitch?

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